Foster Manson Reamers

Terminal Ballistics Research - Who are we?

Nathan and Stephanie Foster, we are a husband and wife team who have dedicated our lives to researching rifle accuracy and cartridge performance. We are based in New Zealand which due to its temperate climate and the resulting effect on game numbers, has allowed us to hunt all year round. Throughout our many years of hunting, we have now taken well over 11,000 head of game. We have no time for theory, all of our research is based on field experience, acid testing rifles, cartridges and equipment.

What do we do?

We have published a vast amount of our research freely on our http://www.ballisticstudies.com educational website. The website contains information on wound ballistics and cartridge performance. The ‘Practical Guide’ book series walks the reader through the fundamental aspects of rifle selection, cartridge selection, rifle accurizing, reloading and field shooting technique. No other book series contains this level of practical information for today’s shooter. We have also produced videos based on the books. We provide one on one tutorial services and have provided books, educational and consulting services to ammunition manufacturers, police and military groups worldwide. We are the designers of Matchgrade bedding and stock stabilizer products.

New for 2019 – Foster Manson Reamers (FMR)

A series of enhanced performance reamers designed by David Manson and Nathan Foster, tested with the help and support of Grant Lovelock, co-owner of True-Flite NZ.

.280 Remington FMR

.280 Remington Ackley Improved FMR

7mm Remington Magnum FMR

7mm Practical

.30-06 Springfield FMR

.30-06 Ackley Improved FMR

.300 Winchester Magnum FMR

And re-introducing the M-852 Match

Optimized for universal usage including general hunting, long range hunting and match applications.

Although many of our cartridges appear to be tried and true, new projectile designs such as the Hornady ELD-X, ELD-M, A-TIP and the Sierra TMK have created a number of problems. Many of these new long for caliber bullets produce outstanding results both on target and game out to exceptional ranges. These new projectiles are cruise missiles capable of exceptional, jaw dropping performance. However, the new bullets designs have also created conflicts within existing magazine fed rifle designs.

In plain terms, many rifles (or more specifically the chambers) simply aren’t up to the tasks that we want to put them too. The bullets are continually evolving but rifle chambers have remained much the same. The OAL’s are too long for the rifle magazines while the throat leade angles can create finicky performance.

Those of you who work within the industry will know just what it is like when you have put all of your effort into a job, only to find that the customer’s rifle turns out to be extremely temperamental. Those of us who care about our customers can end up losing a lot of sleep and a lot of money over these jobs.

Through my research and with the tireless help of Dave Manson and Grant Lovelock (True-Flite barrels, New Zealand), I have been able to determine that a major proportion of these problems stem from the original chamber designs. A barrel maker can for example, waste a lot of time fretting over poor performing barrels when instead, the reamers have been the cause of issues. These issues effect both those who make the barrels and those who fit them. Many barrel makers, gunsmiths and end users simply do not understand the gravity of this, blaming for example the barrel maker when it is the decades old reamer design at fault. These issues have created a great deal of unnecessary stress and animosity between gunsmiths, clients and barrel makers for no other reason than a misalignment of technologies.

Dave Manson and I have set about correcting these issues via the creation of a small line of optimized reamers. I am eternally grateful to David Manson for his commitment to the shooting sports and for going the distance on this mind-numbing project. I am also immensely grateful to Grant Lovelock for supplying us with barrels, helping us greatly with the costs of testing.

The new reamers are in essence an overhaul of some now very old designs, enhancing their performance with modern long-range projectiles. Some tolerances have been maximized while others have been minimized but without reducing tolerances to the point of excessive pressures with +P type factory ammunition. The new reamers help to guide these long projectiles into the lands with minimal upset, resulting in optimum accuracy while at the same time complementing power generation.

Direct benefits include:

Rifle manufacturers and barrel makers will find that these reamers compliment their barrels as opposed to having customers complain about a finicky barrel.

Gunsmiths will enjoy the same benefits of non-finicky long-range rifles. This means less time spent with either load development and / or potential customer complaints.

Hand loaders will find load development somewhat easier. For example, rather than the rifle being picky to the last .2 grains of powder and with groups ranging from 1.5 MOA down to .5 MOA (or simply poor accuracy), group spread across the load spectrum is more uniform.

Complimentary to both hand loading and factory ammunition use (no requirement to neck turn if the end user does not want to do this).

Room to chase throat wear without LR bullets sitting out into the case neck.

Dave Manson and I set about this project to help rifle and barrel makers, smiths and end users. I very much hope that this helps bring people together, helping to build positive relationships between those who build the rifles and those who use them.

THE PRACTICAL GUIDES TO LONG RANGE HUNTING RIFLES & CARTRIDGES

Achieve success with the long range hunting book series & matchgrade bedding products

ABOUT US

We are a small family run business, based out of Taranaki, New Zealand, who specialize in cartridge research and testing ... read more

NATHAN FOSTER’S RESEARCH HAS BEEN USED BY:

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If you find the resources on this website to be valuable, we would be sincerely grateful if you would consider making a donation to help us cover the costs of the website and to assist us to continue our research and testing into the future. It doesn't matter whether your donation is big or small - it makes all the difference!

ABOUT US

We are a small, family run business, based out of Taranaki, New Zealand, who specialize in cartridge research and testing, and rifle accurizing.